REVISION HISTORY: Corrected transcription
of the entries up to 1867 appears in the first 15 volumes of the Correspondence
(1985-2005). These, together with a working transcription of the entries following
1868, were kindly provided as ascii text by the editors of the Correspondence.
Re-encoded by John van Wyhe, corrected against the manuscript by Kees Rookmaaker
12.2005, corrections and editing by van Wyhe 1.2006, 3.2007, 8.2009, further
corrected and edited against the manuscript by van Wyhe 6.2010 RN18

NOTE: This 11 x 7.5cm notebook is bound in beige paper covers with
a green paper spine. The front cover bears a 6 x 4 cm label of cream-coloured
paper with clipped corners reading: 'Journal / Charles Darwin / August 1838'. The notebooks is written mostly in greyish brown ink. Where pencil or blue ink was used instead this is given in the textual notes at the bottom of each page. Some sheets bear watermarks dated 1832. The leaves in the notebook are numbered consecutively 1-76.
The page numbers were added by an archivist after microfilming. Only the front
of the leaf is numbered, hence there are 152 pages, but many blank.
Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University
Library, The Correspondence
of Charles Darwin and William Huxley Darwin.

Editorial symbols used in the transcription:
[some text] 'some text' is an editorial insertion [some text] 'some text' is the conjectured reading of an ambiguous word or passage[some text] 'some text' is a description of a word or passage that cannot be transcribed< > word(s) destroyed <some text> 'some text' is a description of a destroyed word or passageText in small red font is a hyperlink or notes added by the editors.

[Small cutting from Nature 1873. Darwin's annotations are in parentheses.]*The first paper contributed by him (C. Darwin) entitled "On the Ova of the Flustra," in which he announces that he has discovered organs of motion, and, secondly that the small black body hitherto mistaken for the young of Fucus loreus is in reality the ovum of Pontobdella muricata, exhibits his early habits of minute investigation.
(An account of the Plinian Soc. of Edinburgh; Nature, Nov. 20, 1873, p.38)

[Attached is a cutting from Transactions of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh 11: 17. The parenthetical comments are Darwin's annotations.] † The first paper contributed by him (Mr. Darwin.) entitled "On the Ova of the Flustra" in which he announces that he has discovered organs of motion, and secondly that the small black body hitherto mistaken for the young of Fucus loreus is in reality the ovum of Pontobdella muricata, exhibits his early habits of minute investigation.
([From minutes of Plinian Soc.] These 2 papers were read by me at close of 1826 or early in 1827 before Plinian Soc. in Edinburgh & when first read by me, I was then 18 years old.)

During these months lived much with Prof. Henslow,1 often dining with him, & walking with. became slightly acquainted with several of the learned men in Cambridge. which much quickened the little zeal, which dinner parties & hunting had not destroyed. In the Spring, paid Mr Dawes2 a visit, with Ramsay,3 Kirby4 & Henslow & talked over an excursion to Teneriffe.—

In the Spring, Henslow persuaded me to think of Geology & introduced me to Sedgwick.— During midsummer geologized a little in Shropshire.

In July opened first note Book1 on "transmutation of Species". — Had been greatly struck from about month of previous March on character of S. American fossils — & species on Galapagos Archipelago. — These facts origin (especially latter) of all my views.

Wasted entirely the last week of November.— Beginning of December prepared number of Birds. From 6th to 21st busy about House & domestic concerns.— To the end of year. House hunting, read a little, & wasted sometime by being unwell. —

December 24th. became unwell, & with the exception of two or three days remained so till the 24th of February. In this interval read a little for Transmutn theory, but otherwise lost these whole months.

paper on Boulders & Till of S. America.2—
finished April 4th.— Was idle & unwell—sorted papers
on Species theory.

May 28th. Went to Maer. & Shrewsbury. read very little. returned
to London July 23d.— July 26th. Commenced Coral
work. after more than 13 months interval.

Jan. 3d 1842 Sent M.S. of Coral to Printers.

March. 7th. Went to Shrewsbury for 10 days:

May 6th 1842 corrected last proof of Coral volume.3—
I commenced this work 3 years & 7 months ago. Out of this period about
20 (besides work during Beagle's voyage) months has been spent on it, &
besides it, I have only completed the Bird Part of Zoology: Appendix to Journal
Paper on Boulders & corrected papers on Glen Roy & Earthquakes

May 18th. Went to Maer, June 15th to Shrewsbury; & on 18th to Capel-Curig, Bangor, Carnarvon to Capel-Curig; altogether ten days, examining glacier action. During my stay at Maer & Shrewsbury, 5 years after commencement wrote pencil sketch of my species theory.1— July 18th returned to London.—

Wrote paper on Glaciers.2 Copied notes on Species— Employed about Down.—Emma came to Down. September 14th. & I followed on 17th.— Mary Eleanor.3 Sept 23rd. born.— Ob. October 16th.—

July 5th. Sent a written sketch of species theory5 (seven years after commencement in about 230 pages to Mr. Fletcher6 to be copied. Corrected it, last week in Sept: Paper on Atlantic Dust: on Planariae. Sorted my collections.

1846. Oct 1st. Finished last proof of my Geolog. Obser. on S. America; This volume, including Paper in Geolog. Journal on the Falkland Islands1 took me 18 & 1/2 months: the M.S., however, was not so perfect as in case of Volcanic Islands. So that my Geology has taken me 4 & 1/2 years: now it is 10 years since my return to England. How much time lost by illness!

Sept. 9th. Finished packing up all my cirripedes.1 preparing Fossil Balanidae distributing copies of my work &c &c.— I have yet a few proofs for Fossil Balanidae2 for Pal: Soc: to complete, perhaps a week's more work. Began Oct. 1 1846 On Oct. 1st. it will be 8 years since I began! But then I have lost 1 or 2 years by illness.

Began to count seeds of Lythrum about April 20th. Finished Lythrum paper1about May 25th. Began Tendril paper2 & finished it on Septr 13th but afterwards had about a fortnight for additions. Hence this paper on climbing plants took 4 months!!

Sep. 14. Began Laws of Variation for "Domestic Animals & Cult: Plants" & finished this Ch. on Novr 16th. I then began going over again the earlier chapter of Book on "Domestic Animals &c."

Jan. 1. I continued on "Domestic Animals &c." Ch X till April 22d when (with exception of one subsequent week) I became ill & remained so & unable to do anything (except read Origin for 2d French Edit.) till early in December when I began counting Homomorphic seeds

Last chapter of "Variation under Domestication" & beginning of Man Essay.

First proof arrived March 1st. Revises finished Nov. 15th.

I began this book1 beginning of 1860 (& then had some M.S.). but owing to interruptions from my illness, & illness of children: from various editions of Origin & papers, especially Orchid book & Tendrils, I have spent 4 years & 2 months over it —

I began "Descent of Man & S. Selection" on Feb. 4th 1868. & I have on Jan 15th corrected last sheet; so it has taken me nearly 3 years, but the 5th Edit. of Origin took up 46 days & notes on Orchids 10 days; & health compelled many visits & rests.

Descent of Man published on Feb. 24th. At first 2500 copies printed
& 2000 reprinted. & I received 630£ Received 1470
£.

Jan 17. Began Expression1 & finished final rough copy on April 27. Many interruptions.

June 18th Began 6th Edit. of Origin; Oct 29th finished M.S. but lost 2 months by illness Nov. & Dec.

Robert Darwin my great-grandfather is described in the Philosop. Transactions for 1719 as a person of curiosity who discovered near Elston a skeleton of some large animal. —1

1 Darwin quoted from this article in ErasmusDarwin, p. 4: "Dr. Stukeley, in 'An account of the almost entire Sceleton of a large animal,' &c., published in the 'Philosophical Transactions,' April and May 1719, begins his paper as follows:—"Having an account from my friend, Robert Darwin, Esq., of Lincoln's Inn, a Person of Curiosity, of a human Sceleton impressed in Stone, found lately by the Rector of Elston," &c."